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LAPD focuses on 8 more possible victims of Grim Sleeper

by Brian Watt

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29-year-old Rolenia Morris has been missing since September 2005. Los Angeles Police found her photo ID among a separate collection of photos in a refrigerator in Lonnie Franklin, Jr.'s garage. Brian Watt/KPCC

Los Angeles police detectives are focused on eight more women they believe could be victims of the so-called Grim Sleeper serial killer. At a news conference Tuesday, they displayed the photos of the eight women and offered an update on their continuing investigation.

Police arrested Lonnie David Franklin, Jr. last July. Prosecutors have already charged him with the murders of 10 women.

But the police keep working on a stash of dozens of photos of women they found at Franklin’s South Los Angeles home. One of the women in the newly released photos is Inez Warren, the victim of an unsolved murder in 1988. Another woman is unidentified.

The other six are:

18-year-old Ayellah Marshall, missing since February 2005

29-year-old Rolenia Morris, missing since September 2005

33-year-old Cathern or Catherine Davis, missing since June 1982

27-year-old Rosalind Giles, missing since January of 1991

29-year-old Lisa Knox, missing since August 1993

37-year old Anita Parker, missing since November 1988

Lead Detective Dennis Kilcoyne said police found the photo ID cards among a special group of photos that Franklin kept.

"These photos were also accompanied with photos of our 2007 victim, Janecia Peters, that he had in this little collection," Kilcoyne said.

Kilcoyne said police found that little collection apart from the rest in a refrigerator in Franklin’s garage. With the families of the two women sitting close by, Kilcoyne said he hopes to find them alive and well.

"But the circumstances are gloomy," Kilcoyne said slowly.

The suspect earned the “Grim Sleeper” title because of an apparent 14-year gap in the homicides. Lead Kilcoyne said that name might not apply anymore.

"I think we’re gonna start filling in that gap," he said. "At the time the media labeled it 'Grim Sleeper,' we didn’t have anything to fill that in. But now that we know who he is, what his make-up is, where he has been for the last 30-something years, we’re starting to put some pieces together about his timeline."

Kilcoyne urged anyone who might have information to come forward and help. The number to call is: 1-877-LAPD-24-7.